Day Twenty One. 1.31.11

Beautiful day

This is from my kitchen window.  It was a gorgeous day, though quite cold.  This picture just about captures how beautiful the sky was, but the icicles remind me of the frigid temp.  I got to go cross-country skiing in the woods today with a group of K-2nd graders.  I was the caboose, so I moved very slowly and it was so cool to be in the snowy woods.  Between explaining to small children how to get up with skis on and in-depth discussions of pee (i.e. "Whose pee is that making the snow yellow?  And why is pee yellow?"), I had plenty of time to take in the details of the woods.  Sadly, I didn't have my camera, but at least I got this photo early in the day.

Day Twenty. 1.30.11

Cafe

This picture was taken shortly after snowboarding today, and shortly before we ate some amazing bacon cheeseburgers at the Big Picture Show in Waitsfield, VT.  Since the Black Door has closed these might be the best burgers in Central VT.  I love the colors in this photo.  My partner thinks it would be better with his hands cropped out.  I disagree.  I like the feeling that the viewer is sitting at the table with a companion.  

Day Nineteen. 1.29.11

Bright Winter Veggies

This was tonight's dinner.  All local, all beautiful veggies.  The ones that look like watermelons or kiwi are from a farmer's market turnip.  It was pretty ugly lookin' on the outside -- who knew it was going to be so colorful? I like the rainbowiness of this picture.  We ate these veggies over rice with some bacon mixed in.  It was simple and delicious.

Day Eighteen. 1.28.11

Red Exit

I realized I've been into signs and graphics lately.  This continues the trend.  I love the tin ceiling in the Threepenny Taproom in Montpelier.  And tin ceilings in general.  This one looked cool in the light from the exit sign.  

Day Seventeen. 1.27.11

But what does it say?

I don't even know where to begin on this sign, but I love it.  When I went to Japan last year, there were all sorts of signs that I couldn't read but could only guess what they said based on the pictures.  We couldn't get over how ridiculous some of the pictures were, and we had many laughs over our interpretations.  When you can read the words on a sign, you don't really notice the pictures.  But when you tune out the words, the pictures are quite puzzling and often hilarious.

I also must admit that I didn't notice the finger-written note until I was editing this photo on my computer.  My best guess is that it says, "No don't eat it." Which is good advice, really.  What do you think it says?

Day Sixteen. 1.26.11

As if

The detail I'm posting today is less because I love the photo, and more because of the detail I noticed.  I've had this kind of peanut butter on my shelf for the last year and a half since I moved in with my partner.  (I myself prefer real peanut butter...however I must admit to taking a tablespoonful or two every once in a while.)  This was the first time, though, that I noticed the Choosy Mom Seal of Approval.  Which led me to wonder, "What the heck is a choosy mom?"  And furthermore, how exactly did Jif poll the choosy mom's to find out which was their favorite peanut butter?

Day Fifteen. 1.25.11

Brite lite

This is the lamp in our room.  It reminds of a lite brite...a childhood toy that I always wanted and never had.  For some reason, I thought of it as a toy only Christian kids had.  Growing up as a Jewish kid, I found there were lots of toys like that.  Anyway, now I get to have a lite brite lamp, so there.

Day Fourteen. 1.24.11

Morning light.

I did it.  I was lazily sitting on the couch, noticing how the morning light made everything in the house so beautiful.  And I thought to myself, "this would be a great time to take some pictures."  And then, as has become my habit, I thought, "I'll just take a few more sips of coffee and wake up a little before I go back upstairs to get my camera."  But with the next breath came the memory of all the shots I've missed the last few weeks, and the advice I've been giving myself to just take shots as I see them when I see them...and somehow got my lazy bones up the stairs to get my camera.  I finally brought myself to take the photo almost immediately after I had the idea.  I'm glad I did -- just a few more moments and I would have missed the light.  

There's something to be said for simply enjoying a moment...and another thing to be said for hauling your ass up off the couch to get stuff done.  But you can see how it would be hard in this beautiful morning light.

Day Thirteen. 1.23.11

Foundry ice

It was 2 degrees out today, and we went for a walk because we're crazy.  Well, there was amazing Birch Grove hot chocolate as motivation, but still.  It was one of those days when it's so crisp, clear and gorgeous, if you had no nerve endings and couldn't see the icicles, you'd think it was picnic weather.  This picture seems to pretty much capture that.  

Day Twelve. 1.22.11

A perfect frame.

This is the view from the yoga studio where I study.  It's a beautiful, simple room, and I particularly love the windows -- there are three of these.  I love the way they frame the view out over Church Street and Burlington.

I'm increasingly learning that seizing the moment is a very important thing when attempting to take beautiful photographs.  I had a number of shots I wanted to take today during class, and in the morning the sunlight was angling into the studio in such a way that everything -- the brick wall, the wood floors, my teacher showing us cool yoga tricks -- was richly beautiful and saturated with detail.  When I finally got around to taking out my camera, the sky outside had gotten gray and the shots I had noticed earlier were gone.  

I do love this photo, but there's one in particular I'm sad I missed.  My teacher was showing us a yoga technique called uddiyana bandha, which is translated as "flying upward lock". You breathe all the air out of your lungs, suck your belly button way back toward your spine, and pull up on your diaphragm.  The effect is to hollow out your belly and make your whole lower torso concave. She was lying on the floor, and from the angle where I sat at her feet, I could see almost the entire outline of her ribcage from underneath.  It was incredible.  I asked her if I could take a picture of it after class, but by the time we got to it the visual magic had passed (though not the yoga magic - it's a pretty sweet move).  

On the other hand, there's something to be said for not taking a picture.  I had nothing to distract me from the moment of awe I experienced, and as a result I have a clear visual memory of it.  A few years ago I was traveling in Japan, and on my favorite day of the trip, I dropped and broke my camera.  It's that day that's now clearest in my mind because I was so focused on remembering it rather than snapping pictures to keep the memory in a file on my computer.  Something to be said for all of that. 

Ah well, another day is done and another detail is documented.

Day Eleven. 1.21.11

Book

It's a long one.  And I'm reading it.  Just started.  It looks so tall from this angle!

Day Ten. 1.20.11

What's in a doorknob?

I like the various reflections in the doorknob.  If you look closely, you can see our unmade bed.  I've realized that this project is certainly having its intended effect.  I do notice many details throughout my day that I would love to take pictures of.  But then I also realize that I don't often have time to take a picture when I notice those details, often because I'm with a group of children.  For example, today I noticed the pattern of the tiny grippy dots on a basketball, the countries on a globe, and a whole row of children's kneeling knees.  But alas, I couldn't photograph any of them.  Perhaps I'll pull that off by the end of the year.  For now, we mostly have pictures taken in my home.

Day Nine. 1.19.11

My Neck

I have recently started working out at a Crossfit gym, and I must admit that after today's workout I found myself marveling at my neck in the mirror.  I definitely see a change.  Hopefully I won't start looking like the mug shots of football players whose necks are wider than their jaws.  I might.  I don't know that I necessarily captured my newfound jacked-ness in this photo, but I do like the way it came out.  So that's my detail for the day.  And perhaps a little TMI, just for you.

Day Eight. 1.18.2011

Majestic and Mighty Light Bulb

This is taken from the inside of a lamp in my bedroom.  

Day Seven. 1.17.11

The real thing.

(pun avoided)

Just came from the Savoy Theater Monday night Cineclub.  We watched Vertigo, followed by a discussion.  What a movie, and a good one to mull over.

And talk about details, Hitchcock is full of them. I was tempted to take a picture of the screen as the movie was running, but I didn't want to disturb the kind folks behind me who kept giving me delicious ginger chocolate. And I didn't want to miss the details while I was trying to photograph them.  So I opted to simply enjoy the moment...and the chocolate. 

The downstairs at the Savoy, which is our local independent theater, has been recently remodeled and is a very hip place.  There are various seating choices, including bean bag chairs, couches, movie theater seats and bar stools.  The tables are all made out of movie reels (that's the photo).  I highly recommend a visit if you're local or happen to pass through Montpelier.  And if not, I highly recommend that you support your local independent movie theater.  

Day Six. 1.16.11

Snowy Mohawk Buddha

He looks so dignified, even with a snowy mohawk.  This is the statue that greeted us as we approached our friends' house for a celebration brunch this morning.  I'm including several images because I think the first one fits my project best, but you don't get the full effect without the other two. In a hurry to get inside for brunch, I didn't take the time to frame the photo in the way I would have liked to.  Friends entering the brunch behind me thought I was praying...I guess this is my way of doing so.  Thanks, Snowy Mohawk Buddha.

This statue is well cared for by its owners, and he often changes his accessories, depending on the occasion.  Today it was a pine branch.  Other times it's candles or special signs appropriate for the event. When we moved into town, he held a sign telling us he was happy we were here.  He's very thoughtful, that Buddha.

Day Five. 1.15.2011

Bread love.

This is an edited image of the bread bag closey thing.  It's a nice touch that they have a heart on them.  I wonder if that's out of design necessity or whimsy on the part of the inventor.  What are these things called, anyway?  

Day Four. 1.14.11

Well read.

These are books that are stored in my office, which I share with the school library. I love the colors. These books have more stories to tell than just what's written inside, I'm sure! And I think they're by one of my favorite childhood authors, E.L. Konigsburg. From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler was a classic. Perhaps I should re-read it....

Day Three. 1.13.2011

I love Inka

Especially when it's hot and foamy.  It's a grain-based beverage that, according to the canister it came in, is from Poland (not Latin America, as I had thought before I read the canister).  

Process notes: 

I forgot to bring my camera when I left the house today, so I had to do my detail when I got home at 7:45 pm.  The light posed a small challenge, and I found myself aimlessly circling in the house wondering what I could possibly photograph. But once I got started I took a lot of photos and it was hard to choose just one to post.  

Shooting at home removed the self-consciousness factor -- I felt silly yesterday stooped over a hedge on the sidewalk in the middle of a snowstorm with my not so professional looking camera buried in the leaves.  At home I took many more variations of the same picture, and I learned from the process.  I also discovered two new features on my camera -- high image resolution and manual focus.   

My last note is that I was deciding between two images to post and having a hard time choosing.  I had the Inka photo (above) and a super close-up of the knobs on my partner's telescope.  In my heart I was wanting to post the Inka photo (because I love Inka), but I thought the other one was more technically interesting (and therefore more impressive, perhaps?).   Once I realized the crux of choice the I was facing, it was an easy decision.  I'm glad I decided to go with my heart instead of my head.  Life lessons as well as photographic ones here at detail-a-day.  

I say again, and I'm sure I'll repeat: this is experiment is proving fruitful already.  

Day Two. 1.12.2011

Call Box #72

I have a snow day today, but I had to drop off some paperwork in town.  So I took my camera along!  I pass this box (and at least one other like it) every time I walk into town, but I've never noticed it before.  My project is already paying off.  Apparently boxes like this one are all over Montpelier.  Who knew?

Day One. 1.11.2011

What are you hiding, Santa?

I came across this detail while I was lying on the dining room table stretching my hip flexor.  I turned my head, and this is what I saw.  

Don't ask why we have a half-life-size Santa in our dining room in January when we're both Jewish. 

Some background.

A little late for a New Year's resolution, this is just a project I'm taking on.  I was inspired by Noah Scalin's blog - 365: Make Something Every Day and Change Your Life.  Not that my life needs changing...but let's stay open to possibilities, shall we?

I am known to make grand goals and have big ideas (BI's), but my follow through can lag behind and leave me and my ideas wanting. (My partner often says, "Keep thinking, Jules, that's what you do best.")  So I'm doing this publicly to keep me honest and get more into the doing.

For this grand goal of documenting something for a year, I chose details because when I'm harried or busy, my physical surroundings tend to turn into a blur.  I want to take the time every day to notice and appreciate small things around me.  Photography is my medium of choice because I love the macro function on my camera, and I hope to practice and hone my photographic skills.  One of my recent BI's was to take a $10,000 documentary photo class.  By way of talking me down, my incredibly supportive partner said I already have a good photographic eye and I don't need no stinkin' $10K class (I'm paraphrasing).  So here's my chance to school myself.

All photos will be taken with my Nikon Coolpix S640 digital camera (most using the macro function) and edited in iPhoto.  Maybe not low-tech, but medium-tech.  Nothing too fancy.

Wish me luck!